Sterilizer.



' Patented May 27, 1913.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH cm. WASHINGTON. D. C

TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN S. FORBES, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 'IO FORBES COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

STERILIZER.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN S. FORBES, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Sterilizers, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide a sterilizing device particularly adapted for household and office use, which shall be of such a construction as to permit of its being cleaned with the utmost ease, and which shall have its parts so arranged as to permit of their convenient separation for this purpose.

I further desire to provide a relatively simple form of sterilizing apparatus which, while possessing the above characteristics, shall permit of an efiicient heat exchange between the hot sterilized liquid and the incoming cold raw liquid, so that the sterile liquid finally delivered shall be at a temperature but very little above that of said raw liquid.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sterilizer having a number of conveniently separable parts, with means for preventing the entrance of liquid or solid matter into the several parts; the invention also contemplating a novel construction by means of which the apparatus shall be possessed of a central liquid discharge pipe at its lower portion.

I also desire to provide a sterilizer designed to receive abottle or similar container of raw liquid, and whose arrangement of parts shall be such that there shall be little, if any, transfer of heat from the body of such sterilizer to such container.

These objects and other advantageous ends I secure as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section of a sterilizer constructed according to my invention, a portion of the conduits being shown as turned out of the normal positions in order to illustrate the device, Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line aa, Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section of a modified form of my invention.

In the above drawings 1 represents the main container structure of the sterilizer, which consists of a cylindrical sheet metal can-like container open at its upper end and closed at its opposite end, there being Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 11, 1912.

Patented May 27, 1913.

Serial No. 682,845.

mounted at the center of said closed end a discharge pipe 2, having an extension 3 projecting axially within the container 1 and open at its end. This open end is preferably beveled, as shown, though. it may be made as i This container 5 is considerably longer than the container 1 and is provided with an annular, downwardly projecting flange 6, de signed to fit the turned over upper end of said container 1, so as to prevent the possible entrance thereinto of liquid or solid material. The flange 6 is preferably beaded at its lower edge, and I mount on the container 1, a spring catch 7, designed to engage this flange, so as to normally prevent the separation of said containers either accidentally or by reason of the buoyancy of the liquid within the container 1. The container 5 is likewise open at one end and closed at the opposite end, being however provided with a centrally extending tube 8 open at its lower end. and closed at its upper end. This tube is of such a diameter as to receive within it the bevel ended tube or pipe 3, from which its inner surface is held away by spacers 9 as shown.

A third container 10 is mounted within the container 5, and like it is of such adiameterthat there is provided a narrow space between its outer surface and the inner surface of the container 5. Its length is such that when seated within the container 5, its upper end projects some distance above the upper end of the latter, and I provide this projecting end with a downwardly extending flange 11, designed to cover the upper end of said container 5, which is provided with one or more spring catches or clips 12, so placed as to engage the beaded edge of this flange for the purpose of normally holding together the containers 5 and 10. The latter container, like the others, is closed at its lower end and is provided with a centrally extending tube or conduit 13, of such diameter as to receive the closed ended conduit- 8 of the container 5, from the walls of which it is held away by spacers 1 1. The upper end of said conduit 13 extends beyond the tube of the conduit 8, where it is connected into the bottom of a liquid-receiving cup 15, of generally conical form, whose upper edge is connected to the top edge of the container 10 in any suitable manner. 011 said top edge I provide three or more structures 16 in the form of wires arranged to serve as point supports for the raw liquid bottle or other container 17, which is designed to be carried thereon with its mouth immersed in the liquid within cup 15.

The upper part of the container 10 beyond the flange 11 is provided with a series of openings 18, designed to permit of the free entrance of air to the space between the outer walls of the conduit 13 and the inner walls of the container 10 to which it belongs and also of use in mounting the cup 15. The upper part of the container 5 has connected to it a pipe 19, leading to the heater, which consists of a substantially cylindrical casing 20, closed at the bottom and formed at the top for the reception of a covered cup 21. Said cup has a side outlet 22, and is provided with a tube 23, extending through the center of its bottom to a point in the lower part of the casing 20. The upper end of this tube extends for a suitable distance above the bottom of the cup 21, and its lower end is provided with an outwardly flared extension 24, whose' portion of greatest diameter is relatively near the walls of the casing 20. Preferably supported by this casing is a cylindrical chimney 25, into which extends any suitable form of burner or other heater 26. The tube 22 of the cup 21 has a downwardly extending branch 27, which, adjacent to its end, is provided with a downwardly extending flange 28. This is designed to receive the upper end of a conduit 29 which is screwed or otherwise fixed to the inlet pipe 4, although in Fig. 1 I have shown these parts as separated for the sake of clearness.

Under conditions of operation the container 17, filled with raw liquid, is inverted so that its mouth extends within the cup 15, and the liquid flows from it so as to fill the space between the walls of the conduits 8 and 13, and between the walls of the containers 10 and 5, from whence it passes through the pipe 19, and fills the heater casing 20 as well as the tube 23 up to the horizontal line of the mouth of said container 17. It now heat be applied to the casing 20, as by operating the burner 26, the liquid within the bottom of said casing and inclosed by the flared end 24 of the tube 23, is momentarily raised to the boiling point. By reason of the vapor formed, as well as because of the expansion in its volume, the liquid within the tube 23 is thus caused to rise therein and flow over the upper end of the same into the receiving cup 21. This tube thus constitutes a weir, and the liquid passing from it is completely sterilized, owing to its heating in the lower portion of the casing 20. Said heated sterile liquid then flows through the conduits 22, 27, 29 and 1, into the narrow space between the containers 1 and 5, rising within the tube 8 and finally passing into the beveled end of the tube 18, from whence it flows out of the sterilizer through the discharge pipe 2. On entering the container 1 this liquid is cooled partly by reason of the exposed outer surface of said container, but for the most part has its temperature reduced by passing ver surfaces whose opposite faces are cooled by the cold layer of raw water within the container 5. It is noted that the raw water at the lowest temperature on entering the tube 13, strikes the outside of the tube 8, which contains sterile water at the lowest temperature, and as it is gradually heated up by passage through the tube 13 and by rising within the container 1, it at all times engages portions of the apparatus heated by the sterile liquid, so that at all points the difierence in temperature between the raw and the sterile liquid is that best fitted for the efficient transfer of heat from one to the other.

I preferably bevel the upper end of the tube 8, in order in a great measure to prevent the possibility of the siphoning of the liquid out of the tube 8, and the various flanges 6, 11 and 28 are provided in order that any raw liquid accidentally spilt shall not obtain access to the containers 1 and 5. It will be noted that the three containers 1, 5 and 10, being of cylindrical form, are nested together with the greatest convenience, so that the apparatus occupies a minimum of space for a given capacity and as the liquid is caused to flow in thin layers, whose temperature is most easily altered, the apparatus has a high capacity. At the same time the parts may be cleaned with the greatest case, since by removing the raw liquid container, the container 10 may be withdrawn from the container 5 by releasing the catches 12, and the container 5 may in turn, be removed from the container 1 by releasing the catches 7. By supporting the raw liquid container 17 on'the relatively small surfaces provided by the structures 16, the temperature of the liquid therein is practically unaiiected by the rise in temperature of the metal of the sterilizer proper under operating conditions.

As shown in 3, I may provide the bottle or container 17 with a series of lugs 36 projecting from its breast so that when inverted these will engage the upper edge of the top structure 15 or other top parts of the container 10 thereby securing a point contact between the sterilizer proper and the container, as in the case shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 3 there is also indicated a less expensive construction for the inner con duit 3, for this, instead of having its upper end cut on an incline, may without departing from my invention, be cut oii straight at the end and at a point adjacent thereto have a hole 85 through which the outtlowing liquid may pass without the possibility of producing a siphon action.

I claim 1. The combination in a sterilizer of three containers closely and removably nested, one within the other to form a heat exchange; means for sterilizing liquid operatively independent of and outside said containers, said means being directly connected to the upper parts of the middle and outer containers respectively so to receive raw liquid from the space between the inner and middle containers and to deliver sterile liquid into the space between the outer and the middle containers; means for supplying raw liquid to the nested containers; and a discharge conduit for said containers.

2. The combination in a sterilizer o1 a plurality of closely nested containers, of which one has a cup for the reception of raw liquid and a central conduit opening into said cup; a conduit for the second container extending within the conduit 01 the first con tainer and closed at one end; a conduit for the third container extending within said latter conduit and having a discharge pipe; with liquid sterilizing means connected to receive raw liquid from the space between two of the containers and to deliver sterile liquid to the space between one of the said two containers and a third container.

8. The combination in a sterilizer of a plurality of closely nested containers separably mounted one within the other; means for delivering raw liquid to the space between two of the containers; means for sterilizing liquid connected to receive raw liquid from between two of the containers and to deliver sterile liquid to the space between one of said containers and a third container, with an overflow pipewithin the containers and extending out through the bottom of the same, said pipe being arranged to provide a level maintaining trap so as to prevent draining out of all the sterile liquid.

4. The combination in a sterilizer of a plurality of closely nested containers of difit'erent lengths, the longest of said containers having an annular flange covering the open end of the second container, and said second container having an annular flange covering the open end of the third container; means for delivering raw liquid to the space between two of the containers; with means for sterilizing liquid connected to receive raw liquid from said space and formed to deliver sterile liquid to the space between one of said containers and the third container.

5. The combination in a sterilizer of an inner, an intermediate, and an outer container closely nested but respectively separable one from the other; means for sterilizing liquid operatively independent and outside of said container, connected to receive raw liquid from the space between two of the containers and arranged to deliver sterile liquid to the space between one of said containers and a third container; means for delivering raw liquid to the space between said first two containers; and means for normally preventing separation of the containers.

6. A sterilizer consisting of a plurality of remo-vably nested containers of which the innermost is provided with a receiving cup and has an open conduit connected to the bottom of said cup; a second conduit extending within the first and closed at its upper end, while being connected to the bottom of the second container; a third conduit extending through the bottom of the outermost container within the second conduit; with means for sterilizing liquid, connected to receive raw liquid from the space between the inner and intermediate containers, and arranged to deliver sterile liquid to the space between the outer and intermediate containers.

7. A sterilizer consisting of a plurality of removably nested containers of which the innermost has a receiving conduit extending within it; a second conduit extending within the first conduit and closed at its upper end, while being connected to the bottom of the second container; a third conduit extending through the bottom of the outermost co-n tainer within the second conduit; with means for sterilizing liquid, connected to receive raw liquid from the space between the inner and intermediate containers, and arranged to deliver sterile liquid to the space between the outer and intermediate containers.

8. A sterilizer consisting of a plurality of removably nested containers of which the innermost has a receiving conduit extending within it and open at both ends; a second conduit connected to the bottom of the second container and open at its lower end while closed at its top; a third conduit carried by the outermost container and open at its upper end; said three conduits fitting respectively one within the other; with means for sterilizing liquid connected to receive raw liquid from the space between two of the containers and arranged to deliver sterile liquid to the space between one of said two containers and the third con tainer.

heat exchange; means for delivering raw liquid to one compartment of said exchange; means for sterilizing liquid connected to receive raw liquid from said compartment and to deliver sterile liquid to the other compartment; with an overflow pipe opening inside and adjacent the top of the heat exchange.

10. The combination in a sterilizer of a heat exchange; means for delivering raw liquid to one compartment of said exchange; means for sterilizing liquid connected to receive raw liquid from said compartment and deliver sterile liquid to the other compartment; with an overflow pipe inside of the heat exchange; said overflow pipe having its upper end formed to prevent a siphoning action.

11. The combination in a sterilizer of a heat exchange; means for delivering raw liquid to one compartment of said exchange; means for sterilizing liquid connected to receive raw liquid from said compartment and to deliver sterile liquid to the other compartment; with an overflow pipe inside of the heat exchange; said overflow pipe having its upper end formed to admit liquid and air at different levels.

12. A sterilizer consisting of a plurality of removably nested containers of which the innermost has a receiving conduit extending within it; a second conduit extending within the first conduit and closed at its upper end, while being connected to the bottom of the second container; a third conduit extending through the bottom of the outermost container within the second conduit; with means for sterilizing liquid, connected to receive raw liquid from the space between two of said containers, and arranged to deliver sterile liquid to the space between one of said two containers and the third container.

13. The combination in a sterilizer of a plurality of closely nested containers of which the upper end of one projects beyond the end of another; with a sterilizing device having inlet and discharge conduits of which one is connected to that part of the container which extends beyond the end of another; and the other conduit is connected to the outer container so as to communicate with the space between it and the projecting container.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN S. FORBES.

Witnesses:

7M. A. BARR, WILLIAM E. BRADLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

